Those skilled in the art will recognize that various liquid dispensing containers have been fabricated and sold over many decades. For many years, these liquid dispensing containers have been designed to meet the needs of the users during various activities. For example, liquid dispensing containers have been specifically designed for assorted events such as running, bicycle riding, hiking, driving an automobile, attendance at sports events and the like. Much attention has been directed in these prior art designs to providing a liquid dispensing vessel which permits a user to consume or dispense liquid from the container in a reliable manner during the activity, and which further prevents accidental spilling of the liquid from the container in the event that the drinking vessel is accidentally overturned.
With regard to drinking containers which are going to be utilized during an athletic event, much attention has been directed towards developing beverage containers which can be operated by a single hand, and which further simultaneously allows for the equalization of air pressure within the internal cavity of the drinking vessel as the beverage contained within the vessel is consumed.
While many possible designs have been developed to address these needs, several shortcomings have become apparent after prolonged usage of these prior art products.
For example, many users of these prior art drinking vessels often use the vessels, overtime, to dispense various beverages such as coffee, soft drinks, water, alcoholic beverages, and the like. These assorted liquids often leave trace amounts of residue on any exposed portion of the fluid dispensing vessel. If these trace residues are not substantially removed, often a sticky residue will buildup, and which will encourage the growth of microorganisms or which further inhibits the proper operation of any sealing device or other assembly employed to selectively dispense the liquid or beverage from the fluid dispensing container.
While these prior art devices have worked with varying degrees of success, the experience of users has been that without periodic proper cleaning of these prior art devices a malfunction will often occur within short order. Further, the prior art devices, and other assemblies utilized, heretofore, have sometimes been complex in their overall design and consequently are often costly to fabricate.
A liquid dispensing lid which avoids the detriments associated with the prior art products, and practices, utilized heretofore is the subject matter of the present invention.